I Just Don’t FEEL Like Cooking

It’s been several days since I’ve written anything, mostly because I was desperately trying to figure out where the dump truck that hit me every night was coming from. It was not fun at all. Despite my desire to wake up, I would make it to the couch to fall asleep again. It got to the point I could barely move around. And the pain compelled me to move that much less. This does not help me to be productive by any means. Especially when I have a husband who works hard all day and I want to do something nice for him, like have dinner ready. Thankfully, I have a very compassionate, understanding and sarcastic husband.

I do not like to cook when I’m sick, for many obvious reasons. There’s something about handling food when I have the flu that disgusts me, and probably those I would be cooking for. The unfortunate truth now with the economy, is there are probably chefs and line or prep cooks that go to work when they’re sick because they need the money and don’t want to risk their job.(I was working in a warehouse and 2 people who were diagnosed with Swine Flu still came in. Layoffs had happened several weeks back, but they didn’t want to give management any excuse to continue that trend. Unfortunately, lots of people {myself included} got very ill and had to stay home. I had to leave my job because of how sick I got. So, for the 3 people who came in ill…15-20 took time off because they caught it.) Honestly, if I don’t want to cook when I’m sick, I don’t want anyone who is sick cooking for me.

I am not suggesting that working in a kitchen is disgusting. I think there are places to work that don’t involve meat/produce that are beyond disgusting…on a daily basis. I have worked in two industries that have exposed me to some pretty disgusting stuff: banking and retail cellular sales. Banking seems pretty obvious: touching cash all day, processing huge, disgusting jars of cash that are wet, or worse…sticky. Being handed money that smells: especially when your told it was retrieved from the Golden Retriever. (Hey, I guess $20 is $20…no matter where its been.) There was not enough Purell in the world. As for cell phones, on a daily basis people would try to hand me a damp phone that took a dive in the toilet. What makes you think I want to hold your toilet phone? Phones that were covered in many an unnamed or unknown substance made daily appearances. At least a kitchen is someplace people want to be clean! Not just that, it’s required by law to have a clean kitchen in your restaurant. But it’s not just the sick vs clean for me.

When I’m sick, I’m a miserable bitch. Unhappy, groggy and sick. Why would I want to create when I feel that way? I’ve found that my “give a fuck” is in direct proportion to how poorly I’m feeling. Cooking without caring is useless to me. I don’t make the caliber of food I like to make and end up more pissed off, and still sick. And sometimes taking a break rejuvenates my creative impulses and I find something new, fun and tasty. (Like seeing when Mr. Lifton made chocolate covered bacon!) And a few times, a recipe that is buried with the leftovers.

So, feeling better today, I plan on making one of my husband’s favorite dishes: lemon-butter chicken and some roasted brussels sprouts. I also have a non-bacon related dessert I want to play with. (I’ve been a bit heavy on the bacon recipes lately…) Yesterday, my plan was Raman Noodles. Thank goodness for a snowstorm, a few days “off” and a lot of time on my hands.